High rise studio couch or bed

ABSTRACT

A studio couch of the type having a fixed frame and a slidable frame folding to a substantially flat or low condition for sliding under the fixed frame, out of sight, including spring means for erecting the folding frame and plastic bearings for smooth operation of the folding of the slidable frame; and means for adjusting the spring action with relation to heavy or light loads on the folding frame; i.e., heavy or light mattresses, etc.

United States Patent Neunherz et al.

[ Dec. 24, 1974 HIGH RISE STUDIO COUCH 0R BED [75] Inventors: Herbert W.Neunherz; Robert G.

Bryant, both of Gardner; Donald R. Flye, Petersham, all of Mass.

[73] Assignee: Gem Industries, Inc., Gardner,

Mass.

[22] Filed: July 30, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 384,125

[52] US. Cl. 5/21, 5/18 R [51] Int. Cl. A470 17/14 [58] Field of Search5/8, 17, 18, 21, 13

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,167,175 7/1939 Fox 5/212,291,392 7/1942 Krakauer 5/21 2,623,218 12/1952 Paladino..... 5/213,281,870 1/1966 Katz 5/13 Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg Attorney,Agent, or FirmCharles R. Fay

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT 9 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PHEHTED 553241974 42 FIG. 2

HIGH RISE STUDIO COUCH OR BED BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the art ofstudio couch construction, wherein a folding frame is assisted by springaction and latched in an upper position for sleeping, it has beenexperienced in the past that these frames are folded and expanded withvarying degrees of difficulty. Also these folding frames are deficientin the respect that where mattresses or other loads of different weightsare used the heavier loads are apt to tend to collapse the frame andobviously this is a situation which is not desired.

With constant spring tension a heavy mattress will tend to collapse theframe too fast and a light mattress will cause the frame to resistfolding to too great an extent. The object of this invention is toprovide a folding frame which will fold with more or less even forcedepending upon an adjustment of a novel nature.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION There is provided a longitudinal rod which iseasily actuated to allow the frame to fold, and also this rod latchesthe frame in its uppermost position, said rod being concealed beneaththe front angle-iron of the frame where it is not apt to becomeaccidentally dislodged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of thefolding frame in folded condition and showing its relationship withrespect to the rigid frame;

FIG. 2 is a front view thereof showing the same extended;

FIG. 3 is an end view looking in the direction of arrow 3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the folding frame;

FIG. 5 is an end view showing the folding frame extended and itsrelation to the rigid frame;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section on line 66 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view in elevation illustrating the latch; and

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view, looking in the direction of arrow 8 inFIG. 7.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In this case there is provided arigid frame which comprises end members 10 and 12 providing both legsand end supports for a rigid mattress spring frame including sidemembers 14 and 16 together with a backrest member or the like 18, ifdesired.

An extended scissors linkage 20, 22 is provided for extending thefoldable extensible frame generally indicated at 24. The link of thescissors is pivoted at 26 to rear frame member 28 of the rigid frame andits opposite end is slidable in a slot 30 on a lower frame member 32 ofthe extensible frame. Link 22 is pivoted as at 34 to the longitudinalmember 32, and is correspondingly slidably arranged as at 36 withrespect to the rear member 28 of the rigid frame. It will be seen thatframe 24, when folded, may be slid in and out with respect to the rigidframe.

The folding frame 24 includes as an upper frame the end members 40, 40,a front rigid member 42 (an angle iron) and a rear longitudinal member44, these members all being fixedly secured together. At each end ofthis frame it is provided with wheeled scissors members which aregenerally indicated at 46 and 50. These members are alike and act toelevate the upper frame 40, 42, 44 from the FIG. 1 position to the FIG.3 and 5 position.

The cross members of the scissors frame at 46 and 50 include a link 53pivoted at one end with respect to lower front frame member 54 andslidable with respect to the rear or upper frame member 40. The'crossmember 52 is slidable with respect to frame member 40 at the front ofthe folding frame. The scissors frame 50 is the same but reversed. At56, the sliding end of link 52, there is a sliding member, which may bea roller 58 as in FIGS. 7 and 8 which illustrate the path of the member58 during folding and extension of the frame 24.

Springs 60 are utilized to extend the upper frame, these springsextending from a fixed location at 62 on scissor frame member 52forwardly to a pivoted lever 64 on scissor frame member 53.

The link 64 has two positions one of which is shown in FIG. 5 and theother shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3 the link has been turned in acounterclockwise direction from the situation shown in FIG. 5 thusstretching spring 60 and thereby tending to hold heavier loads. i.e.,heavier mattresses. In the FIG. 5 position the spring 60 is notstretched as much as it is in FIG. 3 and thereby is adapted to holdlighter mattresses, etc. Link 64 is provided with a pivot 66 and afastening pin 68 to hold it in the selected position.

Extending along the front of the folding frame and just underneath theangle iron 42 there is a longitudinal rod 70. This rod is mounted onlinks 74 which are pivoted as at 72 on end members 40. The rod 70 ismanually tripped to the unlocking position shown in broken lines in FIG.7 and is manually manipulated to pull it to the solid line positionbehind angle iron 42 in FIG. 7 from the front of the folding frame.Adjacent pivot 72 the links 74, i.e., one at each end, are provided withrecesses 78 in the upper edges thereof and they also have square freeends 80.

The latching condition of the extensible frame is shown in broken linesin FIG. 7, whether up or down. The stud 58 on link 52 is locked inrecess 78 when the frame is folded, as in FIG. 1, and the rod 70 has tobe moved slightly upwardly to release the same, see the solid linerepresentation of link 74 in FIG. 7. The springs 60 then erect theframe, bringing roller 58 to the dotted line position, riding on plasticbearing 82 for ease and quiet; or conversely the frame can be lowered,and locked, against the action of springs 60.

The recess 78 slants as shown in FIG. 7 and actually locks the stud 58when 70 is down, see the broken lines, but still this lock is brokenupon pulling rod 70 up to the solid line position. The locking action ismutual, the stud 58 holding the arm 74 in broken line position, theframe 40, 42 being latched in both extended and folded conditions.

The frame 40, 42 may be varied in height merely by extending orshortening slot 84 in bracket 86 in which the member 58 rides, andcorrespondingly lengthening or shortening the end portion of arm 74.

The plastic bearing 82 is in the form of an elongated U, snapping ontopart 88 of bracket 86.

FIG. 8 also illustrates a struck out abutment 90 on flattened tube (arm)74, and this abutment bears on frame member 40 to maintain arm 74 andframe member 40 apart. I

We claim:

1. A bed of the type comprising a fixed frame and a folding-extensibleframe for storing under the fixed frame, when folded, thefolding-extensible frame including a scissors supporting end frame, aspring on the end frame tending to maintain the scissors frame extended,and means to adjust the relative strength of the spring to compensatefor different loads on the foldingextensible frame,

the spring being attached at its ends to the scissors members,

wherein the adjusting means includes an elongated bracket pivotedintermediate its, ends on one scissors member, the spring beingreleasably attached thereto at one end thereof, and means to hold thebracket in at least two different pivoted positions in which the springis stretched to two different degrees.

2. A bed comprising a mattress supporting frame, means to support theframe, spring biassed means to fold the supporting means to reduce theheight of the frame from an extended position for use to a low positionfor storage, and means to lock the frame in both positions againstaccidental folding or accidental extension due to the spring,

the locking means comprising an arm, a recess in the arm, means to movethe arm, a locking element, the recess receiving the latter and applyingfrictional stress thereto in one position of the arm and releasing thelocking element in another position thereof,

wherein the locking element moves with the foldingextending of thesupporting means, and the recess is inclined relative to the path ofmotion thereof,

the arm being free-ended and abuts the locking member at its free end insaid one position of the arm, the arm locking the locking element in twodifferent position of the latter,

a rod for actuating the arm to release the locking member, said rodextending along the mattress support, and

a front longitudinal frame member for the mattress support, the rodbeing located thereunder.

3. The bed of claim 2 including means pivoting the arm, the rod beingsecured to the arm at the opposite end of the arm from the free endthereof.

4. The bed of claim 3 wherein the recess is located in an edge of thearm between the pivot and the free end thereof.

5. The bed of claim 3 including an anti-friction slide bearing for thelocking member.

6. A bed comprising a fixed elevated mattress support, a slidablemattress support, means to fold and extend the slidable mattresssupport, means connecting the two supports slidably guiding the slidablemattress support to a position under the elevated mattress support whenfolded,

a spring on the said means tending to maintain it in extended condition,

a front frame member on the slidable mattress support,

a rod generally coextensive with and located under the from framemember,

a movable locking member having a path of movement controlled by thesaid means,

a locking arm, means pivoting the locking arm, the rod being connectedto the locking arm adjacent one end of the arm,

a recess in an edge of the arm, said recess receiving the locking memberand having an edge applying locking friction thereto in one position ofthe locking member,

said arm having a free end at the portion thereof opposite the rod, thefree end abutting and locking the locking member in another position ofthe latter as determined by said means,

said rod moving the arm to release the locking member in either positionthereof upon manual manipulation of the rod.

7. The bed of claim 6 including an anti-friction slide bearing for thelocking member.

8. The bed of claim 6 including means to adjust the degree of strainoccasioned by the spring.

9. The bed of claim 6 wherein the locking member and arm are locatedunder and within the area of the slidable mattress support, preventingdamage to the locking member and arm.

1. A bed of the type comprising a fixed frame and a foldingextensibleframe for storing under the fixed frame, when folded, thefolding-extensible frame including a scissors supporting end frame, aspring on the end frame tending to maintain the scissors frame extended,and means to adjust the relative strength of the spring to compensatefor different loads on the foldingextensible frame, the spring beingattached at its ends to the scissors members, wherein the adjustingmeans includes an elongated bracket pivoted intermediate its ends on onescissors member, the spring being releasably attached thereto at one endthereof, and meaNs to hold the bracket in at least two different pivotedpositions in which the spring is stretched to two different degrees. 1.A bed of the type comprising a fixed frame and a folding-extensibleframe for storing under the fixed frame, when folded, thefolding-extensible frame including a scissors supporting end frame, aspring on the end frame tending to maintain the scissors frame extended,and means to adjust the relative strength of the spring to compensatefor different loads on the folding-extensible frame, the spring beingattached at its ends to the scissors members, wherein the adjustingmeans includes an elongated bracket pivoted intermediate its ends on onescissors member, the spring being releasably attached thereto at one endthereof, and meaNs to hold the bracket in at least two different pivotedpositions in which the spring is stretched to two different degrees. 3.The bed of claim 2 including means pivoting the arm, the rod beingsecured to the arm at the opposite end of the arm from the free endthereof.
 4. The bed of claim 3 wherein the recess is located in an edgeof the arm between the pivot and the free end thereof.
 5. The bed ofclaim 3 including an anti-friction slide bearing for the locking member.6. A bed comprising a fixed elevated mattress support, a slidablemattress support, means to fold and extend the slidable mattresssupport, means connecting the two supports slidably guiding the slidablemattress support to a position under the elevated mattress support whenfolded, a spring on the said means tending to maintain it in extendedcondition, a front frame member on the slidable mattress support, a rodgenerally coextensive with and located under the front frame member, amovable locking member having a path of movement controlled by the saidmeans, a locking arm, means pivoting the locking arm, the rod beingconnected to the locking arm adjacent one end of the arm, a recess in anedge of the arm, said recess receiving the locking member and having anedge applying locking friction thereto in one position of the lockingmember, said arm having a free end at the portion thereof opposite therod, the free end abutting and locking the locking member in anotherposition of the latter as determined by said means, said rod moving thearm to release the locking member in either position thereof upon manualmanipulation of the rod.
 7. The bed of claim 6 including ananti-friction slide bearing for the locking member.
 8. The bed of claim6 including means to adjust the degree of strain occasioned by thespring.
 9. The bed of claim 6 wherein the locking member and arm arelocated under and within the area of the slidable mattress support,preventing damage to the locking member and arm.